By Gus Saltonstall
Representative Jerrold Nadler, the longtime Upper West Side Democrat, will retire at the end of his U.S. congressional term next year and not seek re-election, as first reported Monday evening by the New York Times.
That means that after the 2026 elections, there will be a new representative for the Upper West Side in Congress for the first time in more than 30 years.
“Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,” Nadler told the Times. “I’m not saying we should change over the entire party. But I think a certain amount of change is very helpful, especially when we face the challenge of Trump and his incipient fascism.”
Nadler, 78, was first elected to Congress in 1992. He went on to serve 17 terms, representing the Upper West Side for the entire time.
Starting in 2017, Nadler served as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, overseeing two impeachments of President Trump. At the end of last year, he also announced that he would step down from the committee leadership position.
Nadler’s decision to not run for an 18th term means there will be an open seat election for New York’s 12th District, which includes the Upper East Side and Hell’s Kitchen as well as the Upper West Side. Nadler would not share any specific plans with the New York Times on whom he would want to succeed him, but a person familiar with his thinking told the Times that Nadler “planned” to support Upper West Side Assemblymember Michah Lasher.
Lasher declined to comment to the Times.
As of Monday, 26-year-old Liam Elkind is the lone announced candidate for the Democratic primary in New York’s 12th District.
You can read more about Nadler’s legacy — HERE.
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This is joyous news. Maybe now I can be represented in congress by someone more in line with my values and concerns. It’s time for a woman representative in this congressional district. Hopefully a woman of color. Thank you, Jerrold Nadler, for representing our community for the past two-plus decades.
I really think we need a trans, disabled, vegan, person of three spirits to represent us.
Voting based on gender and color of one’s skin has already screwed this country up enough. How about voting for whoever the most qualified candidate is. Voters shouldn’t need to show ID, they should have to pass an IQ test to vote…
Ethan,
How did having a black woman as VP work out?
So white men need not apply? What a strange way to look at the world. Less identity politics please
You are still living in 2020. DEI is past tense
The UWS is one of the whitest ‘hoods in NYC, by the way.
No it is not. That honor goes to neighborhoods outside Manhattan. However, Manhattan is the second whitest borough after Staten Island.
There are neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn that have a higher percentage of whites. So no.
A woman of color does not represent the majority of residents in the neighborhood.
Neither did Obama
Bob, How do you know? Wouldn’t that depend on her views?
Someone blue then?
If Cynthia Tibbs decided to run for Congress or Carmen Quinones, I am pretty sure they’d represent the neighborhood just fine.
$5 you don’t live in the neighborhood
Why a woman of color? Why not any qualified candidate?
The identity thing wore thin a while ago.
How exactly does having a woman of color align with having a congressional representative with the same values? Unless women of color all have the values? Who knew all Asian women would have the same values? Let alone women from across Latin America and around d the world, and their American descendants?
Sara Lind has the progressive values many women of color do not have!
Sara Lind would be a disaster. Her antisemitic remarks do not represent the ues/uws constituents.
Sara Lind represents the majority of UWS residents who support bike lanes, outdoor dining, less street parking, containerized garbage, making all crosstown streets into busways. She is also a very attractive woman that many men would love to see on Hinge or Bumble and go out on a date with! Too bad she’s taken!
This NYC is better than the urbanist utopia that our politicians including Nadler have been pushing for!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OIzSre1wfM
I don’t get why identity politics has to be part of the hiring process. Making ‘woman of color’ a job requirement just seems crazy to me.
Stop with the identity politics. I want the best person. I don’t care about gender, race, sexual orientation, favorite baseball team (go Yanks!) or anything else. These kinds of statements are why Trump won. Just stop. Do you think MTG is representing the needs of most women?
That being said, I would love a fresh, non-machine candidate. We could do worse than Lasher, but I would really rather not have him. He is too clever for his own good career politician who has been carefully plotting his way up from the womb.
It is not “time” for someone of a specific race or gender. It is time for someone who will fight for the needs of the upper west side and New York State and do so with integrity. May the best person win.
I don’t get why identity politics has to be part of the hiring process. Making ‘woman of color’ a job requirement just seems crazy to me. No wonder people voted for Trump.
There are women on the west side tired of white men representing them.
As a white woman, I am aware of the fact that many other white women have absolutely different values from me and would never represent me. This is so tiresome and shows that people promoting identity politics would never learn from their mistakes.
There are women on the west side tired of identity politics
This woman could care less
I would never vote for somebody because of their skin type sounds a little racist
“time for a woman…” While the district boundaries have changed quite a bit let’s not forget the late Bella Abzug…
Is Sara Lind running?
Hopefully not. Her antisemitism would be jarring to most of our residents.
And what “anti semitism” is she accused of? It’s beginning to become the “woke” throw around label
There was no antisemitism. Her campaign manager Quinn Mootz told it like it is and a few reactionaries on X got mad.
Exactly! Transplants are clueless
But Sara Lind is not.
I don’t get why identity politics has to be part of the hiring process. Making ‘woman of color’ a job requirement just seems crazy to me. No wonder people voted for Trump.
Good riddance.
Would you consider being represented by a qualified person regardless of gender and race?
Would you consider being represented by a qualified person period? Whether they have a D or an R next to their name? We should get rid of parties – leave out the D’s and the R’s and perhaps a qualified person would then have a shot.
Poster child for term limits
True, but one of many things wrong with Congress is the seniority system. When Nadler retires, the UWS will give up 35 years of seniority in exchange for a “freshman” with no clout in terms of being able to serve on key committees, getting bills passed, etc. S/he will be expected to “fall in line” if s/he ever hopes to gain seats on those committees.
That’s a good reason to have term limits so politicians don’t reinforce the ‘benefits’ of their seniority the longer they’re in office. Otherwise, they become entrenched. With term limits, seniority fades away.
Term limits in of themselves accomplish largely nothing. City has had them for a decade or more and it’s done nothing but create a game of political musical chairs. Same cast of characters term limited out of one office run and or are appointed to another.
Gail Brewer was term limited out, and she’s right back on city council after a brief break.
If people started voting in greater numbers instead of just moaning that would accomplish more than just term limits.
Voter apathy in NYC (if not NYS as whole) means whoever wins primary most certainly will carry general election in November. Even primary voting numbers are often pathetic in NYC.
The political process provides a really easy way to enforce term limits, especially in the House where they are re-elected every other year – don’t vote for them. Not that hard.
It is very hard! For one, incumbents often have substantial money backing them. Second, their opponents are often highly unqualified for office, so the incumbent becomes the lesser of two evils.
If we truly had free and fair elections in this country, I would agree with you. Instead, we have a reasonably accurate counting of ballots cast for candidates we don’t like.
Term limits can be both good and bad. Good because you get fresh faces, bad because then you have a permanent government behind the scenes controlling everything while we get a facade of fresh faces.
Congressional approval ratings are in the teens so the current situation of seeing familiar faces doesn’t seem to impress voters.
And not a moment too soon.
OMG, who is going for fight the “incipient fascism” now?!!!! Maybe someone with a brain? Don’t hold your breath.
Peter,
Jefferies and Schumer sure aren’t fighting that.
He’s a good man and a great public servant. This decision just affirms that.
yes, agreed, John G. What is it with the West Side Rag comments board? Jerry Nadler is overwhelmingly popular on the UWS. If you paid too much attention to these comments, you would think the opposite.
THANK YOU Jerry Nadler for your decades of principled and progressive public service.
Your girl Gale Brewer isn’t as liked as what the polls show either.
You mean she’s not as well liked as her election performances, where she continually wins by landslides, indicate? If that’s not an accurate measure, I don’t know what it. Anonymous comments on a web site?
Gale is a super accomplished legislator and knows the neighborhood issues large and small as well as or better than anyone.
Gale needs to focus on UWS issues and not national and state issues. She has a bunch of little kids working in her office
Sara Lind should have won the 2021 primary. She worked harder to win that race and engage with voters than Gale Brewer.
Sara at this point we know it’s you. Please stop. There’s a reason we didn’t vote for you,
Sara Lind has made many antisemetic remarks and we don’t want her in this very Jewish neighborhood.
There are guys who will vote for Sara Lind because she’s young and attractive!
THANK YOU JOHN G.
The NYT article identifies Linda Rosenthal, Gale Brewer and Brad Hoylman-Sigal as likely contenders. While these are fine people, they are career politicians. I would like to see someone with private sector experience step into this race.
Gale Brewer is in her mid-70s. She isn’t going anywhere in this race.
Linda Rosenthal would be excellent.
My opinion only . . . but God not Gale Brewer
If Gale Brewer leaves early, perhaps we can get Sara Lind to run in the special election to replace her. Word on the street is that she is back within the 6th council district.
There is something wrong with the objection to “career politicians.” Would you want an inexperienced person to fly a plane or would you prefer a career pilot? Would you want an inexperienced brand new wet-behind-the-ears doctor operating on your heart or a career cardiac surgeon with a history of successful procedures behind him? Jerry wasn’t new to politics when Congressman Ted Weiss died in1992, Nadler was nominated to replace him. He then won two elections on Election Day: a special election to serve the rest of Weiss’s term and a regular election for a full term. Jerry had already served in the NY State legislature and knew many of the ins and outs of political strategizing. He was ready to go on day one.
Don’t knock experience. That’s what got us Donald Trump.
All fair points. I agree that a person from the private sector with no genuine public service experience might be a bad fit as well.
There are many highly qualified potential candidates with meaningful credentials in both private and public sectors. Regrettably, the tightly held political establishment puts its thumb on the scale in favor of political elites, and it’s too difficult for serious new candidates with independent views to break in. IMO, this WSR community forum can be one of the best places available to shop for new leadership.
No thank you.
Agreed.
Buh bye Mr Waddler
WSR-please explain how this comment is consistent with your guidelines. I posted this concern before but you rejected it. Why not just let us know if posts that merely make fun of a person’s appearance is acceptable and if not, why was an exception made here.
Thank you for your concern. Our guidelines don’t encourage comments that mock appearance, and we understand why this one raised a flag. That said, while the wording was unkind, we didn’t find it rose to the level of removal. We’ll continue to monitor carefully and appreciate you holding us to high standards.
Nasty and irrelevant. If you don’t have anything of substance to say…
What have you contributed here besides managing to have a comment on Nadler’s appearance approved?
Someone created a Jerry Nadler’s FUPA account on X.
Very inappropriate comment given his years of service.
I’m a bit surprised that this response was included, especially after reading the recent article here about the comments section.
Exactly – one of my comments (which was completely factual) got censored because it lent credence to a conspiracy theory. This is just name calling.
Thank you for your decades of service, Representative Nadler. And bless you for knowing when it’s time to bow out gracefully.
Yes…people have been grousing that politicians don’t step down and then when someone does they still get nasty…shame.
He’s stepping down only because he knows that he wouldn’t win the primary. He’s not doing it for his constituents.
Reply to Boris: total BS. Anyone who knows UWS politics knows that Nadler would have won in a landslide.
Great news!!!!
Jerry Nadler has represented the Upper West Side with his sharp intelligence, genuine empathy, focus and honesty. He is a good decent person. If you disagreed with him on an issue, that does not negate his fine qualities. Jerry also knows the complete history of the West Side in minute detail! He is us. I wish Jerry good health and happiness as he retires. and more time with his family. Thank you for your service, Jerry.
He is not us. He is them. And his vast knowledge of the area was negated by what became a warped sense of civic duty. He should have stepped down long ago.
He is us? Nadler is pro congestion pricing, pro bike, anti car all while being driven around in an SUV that he can barely get in and out of. A real man of the people.
Best news of the day……
Will you denounce Mamdani’s extreme antisemitism (even though many are understandably against Israel’s current policies but his views are still antisemitic, which people dont understand!) and his total lack of experience to run the most complex of cities? You’d be running for Congress, which could use your youth ! Different type of role!
Please give me two examples of “extreme antisemitism”, otherwise this neuroticism makes us all look bad 🙂
It amazes me that Jewish New Yorkers are even considering putting Mamdani in office. Simply amazed.
Agree.
It is due to an inherent lack of understanding history with a modicum of TDS,
That and dumb young voters who don’t really have a grip on reality.
“The Biden thing?” Going out just a tad chippy.
Good riddance!
How this affects things down ballot will be more interesting. From what I have been informed, there are rumors out there that Pablo Zevallos might run for AD69 if Micah Lasher vacates the seat and then will run for city council to replace Gale Brewer in 2029. He is definitely being groomed for something.
Time for a dog! Dogs represent the UWS!
How about UWS Simon? @upperwestsimon on instagram.
Im glad to see the comments arguing against identity politics. By making statements such as “Its time for….” and then suggesting the box you want to tick, this is who runs or gets elected they will always. be viewed as a DEI hire. Not that they were selected on merit or accomplishments.
I understand the intent is to show a person’s openness and support for progress but in reality it prevents the progress most of us want to see.
good for him for knowing when it’s time to move on.
Thank you for your dedication and support for our community. You are a true public servent.
New York’s12th District owes Jerry Nadler an enormous amount of gratitude. It has been a comfort for the many years I’ve lived here, and the many elections where choices had to be made, to know that one line on the ballot didn’t need a moment of reflection; it was Jerry Nadler and we always knew we could count on him to do the right thing, even if it meant fighting for it. Thank you, Jerry — we’ll miss you!
Better late than never!
I did not know much about Nadler prior to the Iran nuclear agreement fight a decade ago, but came to respect how he resisted what must have been considerable pressure from AIPAC and voted for the agreement, unlike Chuck Schumer. That being said, several years later I watched a number of Congressional hearings when Nadler was chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and he seemed to be completely lost, way out of his depth and strikingly ineffective. So I thank Congressman Nadler for his past achievements, his integrity and his values, but also welcome new blood to Congress.
Thanks for representing us so many time, Congressman Jerry Nadler! We hope a fierce progressive will succeed you.
Lets Go Liam Elkind!
knowing congressman Nadler personally for many years, I have a great respect for him and will definitely support anyone he indorses. Thank you Jerry for your years of service
It always amazes me how quickly a court of usernames never seen before assembles in the comments whenever specific keywords are used. Like you’re waiting out there with bated breath for the opportunity to dogpile and bury any opinion deemed inappropriate on some arcane list hastily written at the end of 2020. If you go back to the comments before 2021 or so, the tone of this website was almost pleasant and engaging, like a conversation on a bench on 83rd Street and Broadway. Now it reads like some gas station checkout line deep in Blanco County.
It’s exactly that type of elitism that is prompting the change you described
And the problem is ?
He did a great job all these years, never wavering from his early values and caring about people. No one can replace him.
Agree.
He cannot be replaced by one person. it will take at least two.
Congratulations Congressman Nadler on your long distinguished career as a United States Congressman. Now you can relax, accomplish some bucket list items. Maybe winter in Florida. Take up some hobbies. Get some exercise, golf, pickleball, maybe yoga. Enjoy a well deserved retirement.
I would pay to see that
I absolutely do not care about the gender and skin color of my representative. I do care a lot about his or her position on issues important to me, such as safety, law enforcement, and clean and healthy environment.
I voted for Nadler many times over the years.
I “get” both sides of the term limits debate. Yes, we need “new blood.” But we also need “institutional memory” and the knowledge, expertise and wisdom that time and experience bring. For example, had Mr. Nadler been term-limited, he would not have been there to (among other things) so brilliantly “shepherd” the two impeachments.
As my rep for my entire adult life, I am sad to see him leave, and hope that whoever replaces him will avail themselves of whatever knowledge and experience he may impart to them. They will need it, particularly at this inflection point in our history, and the increasingly fragile state of our democracy.
Jumaane Williams is searching RE listings for 10th congressional district as we speak.
*LOL*
Oh.